Making Method of Sample for Evaluation of Laser Irradiation Position and Making Apparatus Thereof and Evaluation Method of Stability of Laser Irradiation Position and Evaluation Apparatus Thereof

ABSTRACT

A method for making a sample for evaluation of laser irradiation position and evaluating the sample, and an apparatus which is switchable between a first mode of modification of semiconductor and a second mode of making and evaluating the sample. Specifically, a sample is made by irradiating a semiconductor substrate for evaluation with a pulse laser beam while the semiconductor substrate is moved for evaluation at an evaluation speed higher than a modifying treatment speed, each relative positional information between pulse-irradiated regions in the sample is extracted, and stability of the each relative positional information between pulse-irradiated regions is evaluated. The evaluation speed is such a speed that separates the pulse-irradiated regions on the sample from each other in a moving direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a making method of sample forevaluation of laser irradiation position and a making apparatus thereofIn the method and apparatus, while a semiconductor substrate issequentially irradiated with a pulse laser beam, a portion to beirradiated with the laser beam, of the semiconductor substrate, is movedin a predetermined moving direction at a modifying treatment speed tocontinuously increase regions irradiated with the pulse laser beam onthe semiconductor substrate. In addition, the present invention relatesto an evaluation method of stability of laser irradiation position andan evaluation apparatus thereof In the method and apparatus, stabilityof laser irradiation position is evaluated on the basis of the samplefor evaluation of laser irradiation position, which is obtained by themaking method of sample for evaluation of laser irradiation position orthe making apparatus thereof.

2. Description of the Related Art

Modification of semiconductor with laser irradiation means that anamorphous semiconductor is crystallized with laser irradiation; a sizeof crystal grains of crystal semiconductor is increased with laserirradiation; defects in crystal grains of crystal semiconductor arereduced with laser irradiation; amorphous portions among crystal grainsof crystal semiconductor are crystallized with laser irradiation; or aneffect combining the above effects is obtained with laser irradiation.FIG. 12A illustrates a structure of a laser irradiation device 40 whichperforms modifying treatment of semiconductor. FIG. 12B is a view viewedalong arrows B-B in FIG. 12A. In modification of semiconductor, asillustrated in FIGS. 12A and 12B, a portion to be irradiated with apulse laser beam, of a semiconductor substrate 1 is moved in apredetermined moving direction at the modifying treatment speed whilethe semiconductor substrate 1 is sequentially irradiated with the pulselaser beam at a predetermined repetition rate by the laser irradiationdevice 40 so that regions irradiated with the pulse laser beam on thesemiconductor substrate 1 are continuously increased. In general, apulse laser beam is adjusted so that a cross-sectional shapeperpendicular to the moving direction of the laser beam is long (forexample, rectangular or linear) like a shape represented by dotted linesin FIG. 12B by a laser shape adjusting optical system 41, and thesemiconductor substrate 1 is irradiated with the pulse laser beam.Therefore, a shape of a portion to be irradiated with the laser beam isalso long. Movement of a region irradiated with the pulse laser beam is,for example, as illustrated in FIGS. 12A and 12B, performed by moving astage 42 on which the semiconductor substrate 1 is put in the movingdirection by a moving device 43 while the semiconductor substrate 1 isirradiated with the pulse laser beam. Accordingly, a desired range ofthe semiconductor substrate 1 is irradiated with the pulse laser beam.Such a laser irradiation device (laser annealing device) is described inPatent Document 1 (Japanese Published Patent Application No.2002-158186), for example.

In some cases, a semiconductor substrate which is irradiated with apulse laser beam by the above-described laser irradiation device hasirradiation unevenness. The term “irradiation unevenness” means that thenumber of irradiation of pulse laser beam is different from region toregion on the semiconductor substrate. For example, in FIG. 13, theregion with a dark color shows a region irradiated with the pulse laserbeam many times, and the region with a light color shows a regionirradiated with the pulse laser beam far fewer times than the regionwith a dark color.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Conventionally, although it has been possible that an image of a regionirradiated with the pulse laser beam on a semiconductor substrate istaken and whether the irradiation unevenness is generated as shown inFIG. 13 is evaluated from the taken image data, it has been difficult toevaluate how much an irradiation position is moved per pulse. Therefore,conventionally, it has been difficult to evaluate stability of pulseirradiation position with high accuracy. Irradiation unevenness as shownin FIG. 13 is generated by longer time than a pulse time of pulse laserbeam. However, still, it is desirable that how much the irradiationposition is moved per pulse can be evaluated in order to evaluatestability of pulse irradiation position with high accuracy.

Note that irradiation unevenness as shown in FIG. 13 appears on theorder of several mm. The time required for transporting a semiconductorsubstrate (stage) by several mm during modifying treatment ofsemiconductor is order of several seconds. Therefore, this length oftime is longer than the pulse time of pulse laser beam which is emittedat a certain repetition rate, for example, several hundreds Hz. Thus,irradiation unevenness is considered to be generated because the pulseirradiation position is drifted for a long time as described abovebetween the position represented by a dotted line and the positionrepresented by a solid line shown in FIG. 14. The drift of the pulseirradiation position is considered to be generated because the emissionangle of pulse laser beam and the emission position of pulse laser beamfrom a laser resonator are moved. As a result, the above-describedirradiation unevenness is generated.

Thus, a first object of the present invention is to provide a makingmethod and a making apparatus for making a sample for evaluation ofstability of laser irradiation position in order to evaluate a movementof irradiation position per pulse laser beam. Further, a second objectof the present invention is to provide an evaluation method and anevaluation apparatus of stability of laser irradiation position, withwhich can evaluate stability of pulse irradiation position with highaccuracy, by using the sample which, is made by the making method ormaking apparatus of a sample for evaluation of laser irradiationposition.

In order to achieve the first object, according to one of the makingmethods of a sample for evaluation of laser irradiation position of thepresent invention, while a semiconductor substrate is irradiatedsequentially with a pulse laser beam, a portion to be irradiated withthe pulse laser beam (hereinafter, it is also referred to as a pulseirradiation portion), of a semiconductor substrate is moved in apredetermined moving direction at a modifying treatment speed tocontinuously increase regions irradiated with the pulse laser beam(hereinafter, it is also referred to as pulse-irradiated regions) on thesemiconductor substrate in the moving direction for modification of thesemiconductor substrate, including moving a pulse irradiation portion ofa laser irradiation object (hereinafter, it is also referred to as an“object” simply), which is to be used as a sample for evaluation oflaser irradiation position, at a speed for evaluation (hereinafter, itis referred to as an evaluation speed) higher than the modifyingtreatment speed, while irradiating the object with the pulse laser beam,wherein the evaluation speed is such a speed that can separate thepulse-irradiated regions on the object from each other in the movingdirection.

In the making method for a sample for evaluation of laser irradiationposition, the pulse irradiation portion of the object is moved in themoving direction at the evaluation speed higher than the modifyingtreatment speed while the object is irradiated with the pulse laserbeam, wherein the evaluation speed is such a speed that can separate thepulse-irradiated regions on the object from each other in the movingdirection. Therefore, since the pulse-irradiated regions are separatedfrom each other on the object, each relative positional relationshipbetween the pulse-irradiated regions relating to stability of laserirradiation position is recorded on the object. Thus, the object cancorrespond to a sample for evaluation of stability of irradiationposition with which can evaluate a movement of irradiation position perpulse laser beam.

In order to achieve the second object, according to one of theevaluation methods of stability of laser irradiation position of thepresent invention, while a semiconductor substrate is irradiatedsequentially with a pulse laser beam, a pulse irradiation portion of thesemiconductor substrate is moved in a predetermined moving direction ata modifying treatment speed to continuously increase pulse-irradiatedregions on the semiconductor substrate in the moving direction formodification of the semiconductor substrate, obtaining image data of anobject formed by the making method of a sample for evaluation of laserirradiation position, by an imaging device; extracting each relativepositional information between pulse-irradiated regions on the objectfrom the image data; and evaluating stability of laser irradiationposition on the basis of the information.

In the evaluation method of stability of laser irradiation position, theregion including pulse-irradiated regions on the object is imaged by animaging device to obtain image data, and each relative positionalinformation between pulse-irradiated regions on the object is extractedfrom the image data, and then stability of laser irradiation position isevaluated on the basis of the information, so that how much theirradiation position is moved per pulse can be evaluated. Therefore,stability of pulse irradiation position can be evaluated with highaccuracy. For example, each relative position data (longitudinal data)between many irradiated regions which are adjacent can be obtained, andaccordingly, an evaluation of stability of laser irradiation positionfor a longer time than the pulse time of pulse laser beam can beperformed with high accuracy.

Preferably, on the basis of the information, in a predeterminedevaluation range in the moving direction on the object, it is judgedwhether a condition that each relative positional relationship betweenadjacent irradiation regions is in a predetermined acceptable range issatisfied for each adjacent irradiated region, and whether apredetermined acceptable number or more number of portions notsatisfying the condition continuously exist.

Thus, in a case where the portion which does not satisfy the conditionhas a predetermined acceptable number of portions not satisfying thecondition or more portions not satisfying the condition continuouslyexist, there is high possibility that a characteristic of thesemiconductor substrate which is irradiated with the laser beam isadversely affected. Therefore, in this case, it can be appropriatelyjudged that the stability of laser irradiation position is low.

In order to achieve the first object, according to one of the makingapparatuses of a sample for evaluation of laser irradiation position ofthe present invention, while a semiconductor substrate is irradiatedsequentially with a pulse laser beam, a pulse irradiation portion ismoved in a predetermined moving direction at a modifying treatment speedto continuously increase pulse-irradiated regions on the semiconductorsubstrate in the moving direction for modification of the semiconductorsubstrate, including a moving device by which the pulse irradiationportion of an object is moved at an evaluation speed higher than themodifying treatment speed, while irradiating the object with the pulselaser beam, wherein the evaluation speed is such a speed that canseparate pulse-irradiated regions on the object from each other in themoving direction.

With use of the making apparatus of a sample for evaluation of laserirradiation position, a similar effect to the making method of samplefor evaluation of laser irradiation position can be obtained.

The moving device is the making apparatus of a sample for evaluation oflaser irradiation position, which is switchable between a firstoperation mode in which the pulse irradiation portion is moved at themodifying treatment speed in modification of semiconductor and a secondoperation mode in which the pulse irradiation portion is moved at theevaluation speed in making the sample for evaluation of laserirradiation position.

Thus, by employing the structure in which the moving device isswitchable between the first operation mode in which the pulseirradiation portion is moved at the modifying treatment speed inmodification of semiconductor and the second operation mode in which thepulse irradiation portion is moved at the evaluation speed in making thesample for evaluation of laser irradiation position, a moving devicewhich moves the pulse irradiation portion of the semiconductor substratein a predetermined moving direction at the modifying treatment speed inmodification of semiconductor and a moving device which moves the pulseirradiation portion of the object in a predetermined moving direction atthe evaluation speed both can be used in one apparatus.

In order to achieve the second object, according to one of theevaluation apparatuses of stability of laser irradiation position of thepresent invention, while a semiconductor substrate is irradiatedsequentially with a pulse laser beam, a pulse irradiation portion of thesemiconductor substrate is moved in a predetermined moving direction ata modifying treatment speed to continuously increase pulse-irradiatedregions on the semiconductor substrate in the moving direction formodification of the semiconductor substrate, including: an imagingdevice by which a region including the pulse-irradiated regions on theobject, which has been obtained by the making method of a sample forevaluation of laser irradiation position, is imaged to obtain imagedata; and a judging device by which each relative positional informationbetween the pulse-irradiated regions on the object is extracted from theimage data and stability of laser irradiation position is evaluated onthe basis of the information.

According to the evaluation apparatus of stability of laser irradiationposition, the similar effect to the evaluation method of stability oflaser irradiation position can be obtained.

According to one of the making methods and the making apparatuses of asample for evaluation of stability of laser irradiation position of thepresent invention, a sample for evaluation of stability of irradiationposition with which can evaluate a movement of irradiation position perpulse laser beam can be made. Further, according to one of theevaluation methods and the evaluation apparatuses of stability of laserirradiation position of the present invention, stability of pulseirradiation position can be evaluated with high accuracy with use of thesample which is made by the making method or making apparatus of asample for evaluation of laser irradiation position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a structural view of a making apparatus of a sample forevaluation of laser irradiation position according to Embodiment Mode.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a making method of a sample forevaluation of laser irradiation position according to Embodiment Mode.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged image of a surface of a semiconductor substratefor evaluation which is irradiated with a laser beam by a making methodof a sample for evaluation of laser irradiation position.

FIG. 4 is a structural view of an evaluation apparatus of stability oflaser irradiation position according to Embodiment Mode.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing an evaluation method of stability oflaser irradiation position according to Embodiment Mode.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing a relationship between an overlap rate ofpulse laser beam and a diameter of crystal grain.

FIGS. 7A and 7B are graphs each showing an energy density of pulse laserbeam.

FIG. 8 is another graph showing a relationship between an overlap rateof pulse laser beam and a diameter of crystal grain.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing a gray-scale data of a surface of asemiconductor substrate for evaluation.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing an imaging control according toEmbodiment Mode.

FIG. 11 is a graph showing an evaluation method of stability of laserirradiation position.

FIG. 12A is a structural view of a conventional laser irradiationdevice, and FIG. 12B is a view viewed along arrows B-B in FIG. 12A.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged image of a semiconductor substrate havingirradiation unevenness of pulse laser irradiation.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a drift of laser irradiation position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A best embodiment mode for carrying out the present invention will beexplained with reference to drawings. Note that common references areused for the same portions as those in all drawings, and repeateddescriptions are omitted.

[Making Apparatus and Making Method of Sample for Evaluation of LaserIrradiation Position]

FIG. 1 is a structural view of a making apparatus 10 of sample forevaluation of laser irradiation position according to Embodiment Mode ofthe present invention. The making apparatus 10 of sample for evaluationof laser irradiation position is a making apparatus of a sample forevaluation of laser irradiation position by a laser irradiation device3.

In the laser irradiation device 3, while the semiconductor substrate 1is irradiated sequentially with a pulse laser beam at a constantrepetition rate (for example, several tens Hz to several MHz), a pulseirradiation portion of the semiconductor substrate 1 is moved in apredetermined moving direction at a modifying treatment speed tocontinuously increase pulse-irradiated regions on the semiconductorsubstrate 1 in the moving direction for modification of thesemiconductor substrate 1 with laser irradiation. Accordingly, thesemiconductor in the pulse-irradiated regions is modified. Note that thesemiconductor substrate 1 may be an insulating substrate over which asemiconductor film is formed, for example.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the laser irradiation device 3 includes alaser light source 5, a stage 7, a laser beam shaping optical system 9,an irradiation position moving device 11, and a control device 13. Thelaser light source 5 is a laser resonator which emits sequentially apulse laser beam at a predetermined repetition rate. Note that the laserresonator 5 emits a pulse laser beam at the same repetition rate inmodification of semiconductor and in making the sample for evaluation oflaser irradiation position. The semiconductor substrate 1, which will besubjected to modifying treatment of semiconductor, is put on the stage7. The laser beam shaping optical system 9 adjusts a shape of pulselaser beam. A pulse laser beam from the laser resonator 5 passes throughthe laser beam shaping optical system 9, so that the cross-sectionalshape which is perpendicular to a moving direction of pulse laser beamis long (for example, linear or rectangular) in a laser irradiationposition of a surface of the semiconductor substrate 1 on the stage 7,as illustrated in FIG. 12B. When the semiconductor substrate 1 isirradiated with the pulse laser beam from the laser resonator 5, theirradiation position moving device 11 moves the stage 7 in a movingdirection illustrated in FIG. 1 at a constant modifying treatment speed.The irradiation position moving device 11 may be provided with, forexample, a driving motor and a conversion structure (for example, pinionand rack) which converts a rotational movement of the driving motor intoa linear movement, and which may make the stage 7 move with a linearmovement. With use of the control device 13, the laser resonator 5 andthe irradiation position moving device 11 are controlled so that thestage 7 on which the semiconductor substrate 1 is put is moved by theirradiation position moving device 11 while the semiconductor substrate1 is irradiated with the pulse laser beam. Accordingly, a desired rangeof a surface of the semiconductor substrate 1 is irradiated with thepulse laser beam, and the substrate is modified through laser annealingtreatment in the range. Note that a reference numeral 15 denotes acondensing lens, and the pulse laser beam is converged into the surfaceof the semiconductor substrate 1 on the stage 7 by using the condensinglens 15.

The making apparatus 10 of sample for evaluation of laser irradiationposition is provided with an irradiation position moving device 21, withwhich a pulse irradiation portion of an object 2 is moved in a movingdirection at a constant evaluation speed higher than the modifyingtreatment speed, when the object 2 is irradiated with the pulse laserbeam at a predetermined repetition rate by the laser irradiation device3. The evaluation speed is such a speed that can separatepulse-irradiated regions on the object 2 in the moving direction fromeach other. As one example thereof, the evaluation speed is 100 times orseveral 100 times as high as the modifying treatment speed. Note that,in this embodiment mode, the object 2 is a semiconductor substrate forevaluation, which is used for evaluation of stability of laserirradiation position, and is the same as the semiconductor substrate 1.Preferably, a top surface of the object 2 may be flat. According to thisembodiment mode, the irradiation position moving device 21 of the makingapparatus 10 of sample for evaluation of laser irradiation position isthe same as the irradiation position moving device 11 of the laserirradiation device 3, and also serves as the irradiation position movingdevice 11 of the laser irradiation device 3.

The irradiation position moving device 21 is switchable between a firstoperation mode in which a pulse irradiation portion is moved at themodifying treatment speed in modification of semiconductor, and a secondoperation mode in which a pulse irradiation portion is moved at theevaluation speed in making a sample for evaluation of laser irradiationposition. For example, in a case where the irradiation position movingdevice 21 includes the driving motor and the conversion structure asdescribed above, a conversion device which is switchable between powerand current supplied from a power supply source to the driving motor isprovided in order to switch between the first operation mode and thesecond operation mode. This switching may be performed by operation ofan operation portion of the conversion device by an operator.

Next, a making method of sample for evaluation of laser irradiationposition using the making apparatus 10 of sample for evaluation of laserirradiation position is described. FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing amaking method of sample for evaluation of laser irradiation position.First, in a step S1, the semiconductor substrate 2 for evaluation whichserves as a sample for evaluation of laser irradiation position is puton the stage 7. In a step S2, the stage 7 is moved in the movingdirection as shown in FIG. 1 by the irradiation position moving device21 while the semiconductor substrate 2 for evaluation is irradiated withthe pulse laser beam. Accordingly, a pulse irradiation portion of thesemiconductor substrate 2 for evaluation is moved in the movingdirection at the evaluation speed higher than the modifying treatmentspeed, while pulse laser irradiation is performed.

In the making method of sample for evaluation of laser irradiationposition, the pulse irradiation portion of the semiconductor substrate 2for evaluation is moved in a moving direction at (a constant) evaluationspeed higher than a modifying treatment speed, while the semiconductorsubstrate 2 for evaluation is irradiated with the pulse laser beam at acertain repetition rate by the laser irradiation device 3, and theevaluation speed is set to such a speed that can separate thepulse-irradiated regions on the semiconductor substrate 2 for evaluationin the moving direction from each other. FIG. 3 shows image data of atop surface of the semiconductor substrate 2 for evaluation which isirradiated with the pulse laser beam by this method, and is taken byusing an optical microscope. As shown in FIG. 3, the pulse-irradiatedregions are separated from each other in the moving direction.Therefore, thus, the pulse-irradiated regions on the semiconductorsubstrate 2 for evaluation are separated from each other, and eachrelative positional relationship between the pulse-irradiated regionsrelating to stability of laser irradiation position is recorded on thesemiconductor substrate 2 for evaluation, so that the semiconductorsubstrate 2 for evaluation can be used as a sample for evaluation ofstability of irradiation position with which a movement of theirradiation position per pulse laser can be evaluated.

By employing a structure in which the irradiation position moving device21 is switchable between the first operation mode in which a pulseirradiation portion is moved at the modifying treatment speed inmodification of semiconductor and the second operation mode in which apulse irradiation portion is moved at the evaluation speed in making asample for evaluation of laser irradiation position, the irradiationposition moving device 11 which moves the pulse irradiation portion ofthe semiconductor substrate 1 in a predetermined moving direction at themodifying treatment speed in modification of semiconductor, and theirradiation position moving device 21 which moves the pulse irradiationportion of the semiconductor substrate 2 for evaluation in apredetermined moving direction at a constant evaluation speed higherthan a modifying treatment speed can both be used in one apparatus.

[Making Apparatus and Making Method of Sample for Evaluation of LaserIrradiation Position]

FIG. 4 is a structural view of an evaluation apparatus 20 of stabilityof laser irradiation position according to Embodiment Mode of thepresent invention. The evaluation apparatus 20 of stability of laserirradiation position is an apparatus for evaluating stability of laserirradiation position by the laser irradiation device 3, and includes animaging device 23 and a judging device 25.

The imaging device 23 is used to obtain image data by taking an image ofa region including the pulse-irradiated regions on the semiconductorsubstrate 2 for evaluation which is irradiated with the pulse laser beamby the above-described making method of sample for evaluation of laserirradiation position. In the example of FIG. 4, the imaging device 23includes a microscope 27 with a magnification power of e.g., 200, a CCDcamera 29 for taking an image of the semiconductor substrate 2 forevaluation through the microscope 27, and a light source (not shown)such as a halogen lamp for securing brightness for taking the image.Further, the imaging device 23 includes a stage 17 on which thesemiconductor substrate 2 for evaluation is put and a moving device 31which moves the stage 17. The stage 17 is a stage on which thesemiconductor substrate 2 for evaluation is put. The moving device 31,for example, includes a driving motor and a conversion structure whichconverts a rotational movement of the driving motor into a linearmovement, and moves the stage 17 in a direction where theabove-described pulse-irradiated region is separated by the conversionstructure. Note that the stage 17 and the moving device 31 are the sameas the stage 7 and the irradiation position moving device 11,respectively, which are provided in the laser irradiation device 3 inFIG. 1, and the stage 17 and the moving device 31 may also serve as thestage 7 and the irradiation position moving device 11, respectively,which are provided in the laser irradiation device 3.

The judging device 25 extracts each relative positional informationbetween the pulse-irradiated regions on the semiconductor substrate 2for evaluation from the image data taken by the imaging device 23, andevaluates stability of laser irradiation position by the laserirradiation device 3 on the basis of the information. The judging device25 may be a computer.

Next, an evaluation method of stability of laser irradiation positionusing the above-described evaluation apparatus 20 of stability of laserirradiation position is described. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing anevaluation method of stability of laser irradiation position.

In a step S11, the semiconductor substrate 2 for evaluation which isirradiated with the pulse laser beam by the above-described makingmethod of a sample for evaluation of laser irradiation position is puton the stage 17. Note that, in a case where the stage 17 is the stage 7in FIG. 1, the semiconductor substrate 2 for evaluation which isirradiated with the pulse laser beam by the above-described makingmethod of sample for evaluation of laser irradiation position may bestill put on the stage 7.

In a step S12, the stage 17 is moved in the moving direction illustratedin FIG. 4 by the moving device 31 while the image of the semiconductorsubstrate 2 for evaluation is taken by the CCD camera 29. For example,the semiconductor substrate 2 for evaluation is moved in stages in amoving direction at a predetermined pitch using the driving motor of themoving device 31 as a stepping motor, and the image of the semiconductorsubstrate 2 for evaluation is taken by the CCD camera 29 every time thesemiconductor substrate 2 for evaluation is moved. Accordingly, imagedata which covers a predetermined evaluation range of the movingdirection is obtained. Note that this moving direction is parallel to adirection where the above-described pulse-irradiated regions areseparated from each other.

In a step S13, the judging device 25 extracts each relative positionalinformation between pulse-irradiated regions on the semiconductorsubstrate 2 for evaluation from the image data, and evaluates stabilityof laser irradiation position by the laser irradiation device 3 on thebasis of the information. At this time, the judging device 25 judgeswhether a condition that each relative positional relationship betweenthe adjacent irradiated regions is in the acceptable range is satisfiedand whether the portion which does not satisfy the condition has apredetermined acceptable number of portions not satisfying the conditionor more portions not satisfying the condition continuously exist. In acase where the judging device 25 judges that there are the portionswhich do not satisfy the condition have a predetermined acceptablenumber of portions not satisfying the condition or more portions notsatisfying the condition continuously exist, the judging device 25outputs a signal that stability of laser irradiation position by thelaser irradiation device 3 is low. For example, that signal is displayedin a display device (not shown) of the judging device 25. On the otherhand, in a case where the judging device 25 judges that the portion doesnot has a predetermined acceptable number of portions not satisfying thecondition or more portions not satisfying the condition continuouslyexist, the judging device 25 outputs a signal that the laser irradiationdevice 3 has sufficiently high stability of laser irradiation position.For example, that signal is displayed in the display device.

Process of the step S13 are described in detail. The judging device 25calculates data which is used for imaging control or for evaluatingstability of laser irradiation position on the basis of setting data andextraction data.

The setting data is held and stored in a memory portion of the judgingdevice 25. The whole or a part of the setting data may be input to thejudging device 25 through an interface of the judging device 25 andstored in the memory portion. Further, the whole or a part of thesetting data may be set and stored in the memory portion by operation ofan operation portion of the judging device 25 by an operator. As thesetting data, the following data which is set depending on a conditionof the laser irradiation to the semiconductor substrate 1 is given.

Pulse laser size r (μm) . . . Size of the moving direction of pulselaser beam on a laser irradiation portion on a surface of thesemiconductor substrate 1.

Modifying treatment speed v (mm/sec) . . . Speed for transporting andmoving the semiconductor substrate 1 (stage 17) in the moving directionin modification of semiconductor by the laser irradiation device 3.

Energy density ED (mJ/cm²) . . . Energy density of a pulse laser beam.

Repetition rate of a pulse laser beam h (Hz) . . . The number of a pulselaser beam emitted from the laser irradiation device 3 per second.

Evaluation speed vp (mm/sec) . . . Speed at which the irradiationposition moving device 21 transports and moves the semiconductorsubstrate 2 (stage 17) for evaluation in making a sample for evaluationof laser irradiation position.

Length for judgment Ld(mm) . . . Length for the moving direction in thesemiconductor substrate 2 for evaluation. This length corresponds to arange for judgment.

Length for error judgment Le (mm) . . . Length for the moving directionin the semiconductor substrate 2 for evaluation. In a case where amovement of the laser irradiation positions sequentially exceeds anacceptable value in the length, stability of the laser irradiationposition is judged to be low.

Acceptable diameter of crystal grain Δgs (μm) . . . Acceptable minimumvalue of diameter and size of the crystal grain. That is, the diameterof crystal grain which is smaller than the acceptable minimum valueexceeds an acceptable range. Δgs corresponds to a value of vertical axisin FIG. 6.

a_(ED) . . . A coefficient which is determined depending on the energydensity ED. a_(ED) corresponds to a slope of a linear function shown inFIG. 6.

b_(ED) (nm) . . . A value which is determined depending on the energydensity ED. b_(ED) corresponds to an intercept of the linear functionshown in FIG. 6.

Note that the symbols of the setting data are also used in otherportions in this specification. Definitions of the symbols are describedas above. Symbols described later are also used in the same manner.

a_(ED) and b_(ED) are determined depending on the energy density ED. Forexample, when the energy density ED of the pulse laser is 380 (mJ/cm²),a characteristic shown in FIG. 6 can be obtained. In FIG. 6, thehorizontal axis x represents the overlap rate of the pulse laser. Thisoverlap rate is obtained by OL=(r−1000 v/h)/r which is described later.That is, the overlap rate is, in a case where the semiconductorsubstrate 1 is irradiated with a pulse laser beam at a repetition rateof h (Hz) while the semiconductor substrate 1 is moved in the movingdirection at the modifying treatment speed v by the laser irradiationdevice 3 as described above, the proportion of overlapping region ofcontinuous two pulse-irradiated regions to the pulse-irradiated regions.The vertical axis y in FIG. 6 represents a diameter of crystal grain ofthe semiconductor substrate 1 obtained by modifying treatment ofsemiconductor by the laser irradiation device 3. Plots represented by arhombus shape in FIG. 6 are predicted values, and the overlap rate x andthe diameter y of semiconductor crystal grain can approximate a linearfunction y=a_(ED)x+b_(ED). In an example in FIG. 6, a_(ED) is 672.2 andb_(ED) is −320.81. Note that, as for the horizontal axis x, “90%diameter” in “90% diameter of OL rate” means that regions where theenergy density is greater than or equal to 90% of maximum value thereofare only used as the pulse-irradiated regions, and the other regions arenot regarded as the pulse-irradiated regions. For example, FIGS. 7A and7B each represent an energy density function of a pulse laser beam inthe surface of the semiconductor substrate 1, and only a region R isused as the pulse-irradiated region. FIG. 8 represents a case where theenergy density ED of a pulse laser beam is 460 (mJ/cm²).

As the extraction data, a distance d_(R) of pulse laser beam isextracted and measured for each adjacent irradiation region from theimages obtained by imaging control which is described later. Thedistance d_(R) of pulse laser beam is a length shown in FIG. 3, and maybe obtained on the basis of the image data by the judging device 25. Forexample, the distances d_(R) of each irradiated laser beam shown in FIG.9 may be automatically obtained from the gray-scale data as follows:analysis processing is performed on the image data by the judging device25; and the gray-scale data of the moving direction shown in FIG. 9 isextracted. Since the gray-scale values in FIG. 9 are values invertedfrom the image in FIG. 3, the large range of the gray-scale value inFIG. 9 corresponds to the region with a light color in FIG. 3, and thesmall range of the gray-scale value in FIG. 9 corresponds to the regionwith a dark color in FIG. 3. Note that the image data in FIG. 3 or thegray-scale data in FIG. 9 may be displayed in the display device by thejudging device 25, and the distance d_(R) of pulse laser beam may bemeasured by an operator on the basis of the displayed data, and thedistances d_(R) of pulse laser beam may be input to the judging device25. The values of distance d_(R) of each pulse laser beam may be storedin the memory portion of the judging device 25.

The judging device 25 calculates the following data on left side whichis used for the evaluation using the following calculation formulas onright side by the setting data and the extraction data.

Overlap Rate OL: OL=(r−1000 v/h)/r

Acceptable overlap rate ΔOL: ΔOL=(Δgs−b _(ED))/a _(ED)

Acceptable movement of beam position Δbp (∥m): Δbp=r×ΔOL

Reference distance of pulse beam dp (μm): dp=1000 vp/h

Movement of beam position Δd (μm): Δd=d _(R) −dp

The number of judged pulses Pd: Pd=(Ld/v)×h

The number of pulses judged as an error Pe: Pe=(Le/v)×h

Note that each relative positional relationship between the adjacentpulse-irradiated regions is shown by d_(R) or Δbp. In this embodimentmode, if |Δd| is larger than Δbp/2, the relative positional relationshipis defined to be not in a predetermined acceptable range.

The above-described Pd is used for imaging control which is conducted bythe judging device 25. FIG. 10 shows a flow chart of the imagingcontrol. In a step S21, the judging device 25 calculates the number ofimages Pd/n which should be obtained from a number n of pulse-irradiatedregions in one image which is taken by the CCD camera 29. In a step S22,the judging device 25 controls the moving device 31 so that the movingdevice 31 can move the stage 17 in the moving direction at apredetermined pitch. In a step S23, the judging device 25 controls theCCD camera 29 so that the CCD camera 29 can take images of thesemiconductor substrate 2 for evaluation in a state where the stage 17is still left. In a step S24, the judging device 25 judges whether thenumber of obtained images reaches Pd/n. If the judging device 25 judgesthat the number reaches that, the imaging control is finished. On theother hand, the judging device 25 judges that the number does not reachthat, the process returns to the step S22. By this imaging control, theimage data including the pulse-irradiated region of the number of judgedpulses Pd is obtained.

The above-described Δbp (μm), Δd (μm), and Pe are used for evaluation ofstability of laser irradiation position which is conducted by thejudging device 25. In the image data (evaluation range) obtained by theabove-described imaging control, it is judged whether a condition, which|Δd| of the irradiation regions does not exceed Δbp/2 for each adjacentpulse-irradiated region, is satisfied and whether Pe portions notsatisfying the condition or more portions not satisfying the conditioncontinuously exist. In a case where the region exists, it is judged thatstability of pulse irradiation position is low. On the other hand, in acase where the region does not exist, it is judged that the stability ofpulse irradiation position is sufficiently high. FIG. 11 is a graphshowing this judgment. The horizontal axis in FIG. 11 represents a pulselaser number. The pulse laser number is the number which is given in theorder in which it is emitted from the laser irradiation device 3. Thevertical axis in FIG. 11 represents Δd of adjacent pulse laser numbers.In FIG. 11, in an error portion in FIG. 11, |Δd| exceeds Δbp/2sequentially greater than or equal to Pe. Therefore, in the case of FIG.11, it is judged by the judging device 25 that the stability of laserirradiation position is low, and the signal indicating the stability islow is output.

By the above-described evaluation apparatus 20 and the evaluation methodof stability of laser irradiation position according to Embodiment Modeof the present invention, it can be evaluated that how much theirradiation position is moved per pulse because the image of the regionincluding the pulse-irradiated regions on the semiconductor substrate 2for evaluation is taken by the imaging device 23 to obtain the imagedata, and each relative positional information d_(R) or Δd between thepulse-irradiated regions on the semiconductor substrate 2 for evaluationis extracted from the image data, and then the stability of laserirradiation position by the laser irradiation device 3 is evaluated onthe basis of the information d_(R) and Δd. Therefore, the stability ofpulse irradiation position can be evaluated with high accuracy. Forexample, each relative positional data (longitudinal data) d_(R) and Δdbetween a large number of adjacent pulse irradiation positions can beobtained, and accordingly, the evaluation of stability of laserirradiation position which is performed longer time than the pulse timeof pulse laser beam can be performed with high accuracy.

Further, on the basis of the information, in a predetermined evaluationrange on the moving direction in the semiconductor substrate 2 forevaluation, it is judged that the condition which the each relativepositional relationship between the adjacent irradiation regions is inthe acceptable range is satisfied, and it is judged that whether theportion which does not satisfy the condition has a predeterminedacceptable number of portions not satisfying the condition or moreportions not satisfying the condition continuously exist. Thus, in acase where the portion which does not satisfy the condition has apredetermined acceptable number of portions not satisfying the conditionor more portions not satisfying the condition continuously exist, it ismore likely that the characteristic of the semiconductor substrate 1which is irradiated with the laser beam is adversely affected.Therefore, in this case, it is judged that the stability of the laserirradiation position is low, and the error signal indicating thestability is low is output, so that an appropriate evaluation can beconducted.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodimentmode, and it is of course possible to add various changes withoutdeparting from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiment mode, the irradiationposition moving device 21 is used as a device for moving the stage 7,but the irradiation position moving device 21 may move devices foroptical systems or optical components. That is, the irradiation positionmoving device 21 may move together all or a part of a plurality ofoptical components such as the laser beam shaping optical system 9 orthe condensing lens 15. For example, the irradiation position movingdevice 21 may move the condensing lens 15 together with a reflectingmirror in FIG. 1 in a direction opposite to the moving direction.

Further, in the above-described embodiment mode, the object 2 serves asa semiconductor substrate, but the present invention is not limitedthereto. That is, the object 2 may be any object in whichpulse-irradiated regions can be observed.

Further, according to the present invention, it is possible to evaluatenot only the movement of irradiation position due to the movement of theposition of pulse laser beam itself as illustrated in FIG. 14, but alsothe movement of irradiation position due to the movement of themodifying treatment speed, by the moving device, which should beconstant.

This application is based on Japanese Patent Application Serial No.2008-027735 filed with Japan Patent Office on Feb. 7, 2008, the entirecontents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

1-15. (canceled)
 16. A method comprising the steps of: moving asubstrate comprising a semiconductor in a predetermined direction at anevaluation speed while the substrate comprising the semiconductor isirradiated with a plurality of pulse laser beams, thereby forming asample for evaluation, wherein: the sample contains pulse-irradiatedregions; and each of the pulse-irradiated regions is formed by a singlepulse laser beam that corresponds to one of the plurality of the pulselaser beams.
 17. The method according to claim 16, further comprisingthe steps of: taking image data of the sample; extracting each relativepositional information between the pulse-irradiated regions in thesample from the image data; and evaluating stability of the eachrelative positional information between the pulse-irradiated regions inthe sample, wherein: the each relative positional information contains adistance between adjacent pulse-irradiated regions; and the evaluationspeed is such a speed that separates the pulse-irradiated regions in thesample from each other in the predetermined direction.
 18. The methodaccording to claim 16, wherein the pulse-irradiated regions mean regionsthat obtain an energy density greater than or equal to 90% of a maximumenergy density of the pulse laser beams.
 19. The method according toclaim 16, wherein the predetermined direction is in parallel with adirection where the pulse-irradiated regions in the sample are separatedfrom each other.
 20. The method according to claim 17, wherein thetaking image data of the sample is performed while moving the sample ata predetermined pitch.
 21. A method comprising the steps of: moving asubstrate comprising a semiconductor in a predetermined direction at anevaluation speed while the substrate comprising the semiconductor isirradiated with a plurality of pulse laser beams, thereby forming asample for evaluation, judging whether a condition that each positionalrelationship between adjacent irradiation regions is in a predeterminedacceptable range is satisfied for each adjacent irradiated region; andjudging whether a predetermined acceptable number or more number ofportions not satisfying the condition continuously exist in the sample,wherein: the sample contains pulse-irradiated regions; and each of thepulse-irradiated regions is formed by a single pulse laser beam thatcorresponds to one of the plurality of the pulse laser beams.
 22. Themethod according to claim 21, further comprising the steps of: takingimage data of the sample; extracting each relative positionalinformation between pulse-irradiated regions in the sample from theimage data; evaluating stability of the each relative positionalinformation between the pulse-irradiated regions in the sample; wherein:the each relative positional information contains a distance betweenadjacent pulse-irradiated regions; and the evaluation speed is such aspeed that separates the pulse-irradiated regions in the sample fromeach other in the predetermined direction.
 23. The method according toclaim 21, wherein the pulse-irradiated regions mean regions that obtainan energy density greater than or equal to 90% of a maximum energydensity of the pulse laser beams.
 24. The method according to claim 21,wherein the predetermined direction is in parallel with a directionwhere the pulse-irradiated regions in the sample are separated from eachother.
 25. The method according to claim 22, wherein the taking imagedata of the sample is performed while moving the sample at apredetermined pitch.
 26. An apparatus comprising: a laser light sourceconfigured to emit a pulse laser beam at the same repetition rate; astage configured to put a substrate comprising a semiconductor or asample on; and a moving device configured to make the stage move;wherein: the moving device is switchable between a first operation modein which the stage is moved at a modifying treatment speed inmodification of semiconductor and a second operation mode in which thestage is moved at an evaluation speed in making the sample forevaluation of laser irradiation position; and the evaluation speed issuch a speed to form each of the pulse-irradiated regions in the sampleby a single pulse of the pulse laser beam when irradiating the substratecomprising the semiconductor or the sample with the pulse laser beamwhile moving the stage with the moving device.
 27. The apparatusaccording to claim 26 further comprising: an imaging device configuredto take image data; and a judging device configured to evaluate eachrelative positional information between pulse-irradiated regions in thesample from the image data.
 28. A semiconductor modifying treatmentapparatus comprising the apparatus according to claim
 26. 29. Theapparatus according to claim 26, further comprising a conversion deviceconfigured to switch the first operation mode in which a pulseirradiation portion is moved at the modifying treatment speed inmodification of semiconductor and the second operation mode in which thepulse irradiation portion is moved at the evaluation speed in making thesample for evaluation of laser irradiation position.
 30. An apparatuscomprising: a laser light source configured to emit a pulse laser beamat the same repetition rate; a stage configured to put a substratecomprising a semiconductor or a sample on; a moving device configured tomake the stage move; and a control device configured to control thelaser light source and the moving device so that the substratecomprising the semiconductor on the stage is irradiated with the pulselaser beam; wherein: the moving device is switchable between a firstoperation mode in which the stage is moved at a modifying treatmentspeed in modification of semiconductor and a second operation mode inwhich the stage is moved at an evaluation speed in making the sample forevaluation of laser irradiation position; and the evaluation speed issuch a speed to form each of the pulse-irradiated regions in the sampleby a single pulse of the pulse laser beam when irradiating the substratecomprising the semiconductor or the sample with the pulse laser beamwhile moving the stage with the moving device.
 31. The apparatusaccording to claim 30 further comprising: an imaging device configuredto take image data; and a judging device configured to evaluate eachrelative positional information between pulse-irradiated regions in thesample from the image data.
 32. A semiconductor modifying treatmentapparatus comprising the apparatus according to claim
 30. 33. Theapparatus according to claim 30, further comprising a conversion deviceconfigured to switch the first operation mode in which a pulseirradiation portion is moved at the modifying treatment speed inmodification of semiconductor and the second operation mode in which thepulse irradiation portion is moved at the evaluation speed in making thesample for evaluation of laser irradiation position.